Overcome
Chapter one – one of those days
The cold night air caressed the back of my neck sending shivers down my spine. The smell of wet pavement filled my nostrils, it must have rained while I was inside the gym.
It had been an interesting game of basketball, the opposition was quite volatile and those of us who dared to get under their skin were prey to, what I assume was, there murderous tendencies. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a rough game, so long as the referees still have control, unfortunately that wasn't the case. Tara, one of my best friends and my favourite team mate, had to be taken to hospital at half time for a broken nose and to see if her jaw was fractured after a particularly vicious elbow to the face.
I was used to taking elbows in the face, being short and a basketball player practically guaranteed that, you learn to duck after a while. Unfortunately one cannot duck while they are already on the floor, pinned underneath another girl, while someone is stomping on your ankle. With ten seconds to go and equal scores both teams had gotten… a little excited. This excessive 'excitement' had ended with me underneath a tank of a girl and being treated as a literal doormat by the other team.
Fortunately for me, the referees decided that we weren't actually playing football and I was awarded two free shots. I missed of course, I'm not a particularly talented shooter especially while seeing double. And now here I am. Outside, alone, at night, injured, walking by myself, being stalked. I suppose it's just one of those days.
I glanced over my shoulder, just to make sure that I really did see three of them. All three were rather tall, well, compared to me anyway. I'd estimate the tallest being six foot and the shortest maybe five foot eight. They all looked to be in their early twenties and though not exceptionally muscled still fairly fit and together capable of overpowering me if I wasn't injured, of course outwitting me would be another story and brains is something I can't quite measure with the occasional glance over the shoulder, maybe I could ask them to play a game of chess or something.
Turning down a street a few lone drops of rain splash against my nose, I guess it's beginning to rain again. Flicking up my thin hood I quickened my pace as much as my sore ankle would let me without showing a severe limp. Glancing back once again I noted all three of my 'entourage' were still following me intently. If they were trying to hide the fact that they were following me then they really sucked at it. Their eyes were locked on me like a dogs unwavering stare at food, this coupled with matching my gait when I changed speed left no doubt in my mind that I was indeed being followed.
I chewed my lip thoughtfully, should I confront them now or should I just continue home? Confronting them now meant that there was no way to avoid a fight, in which the odds had been pitted against me. But at this pace it would take another fifteen minutes to get home, and it seems that they are getting closer with each passing second.
Turning down yet another derelict street, my unvoiced question was answered, and I was again reminded of that one time I broke a mirror two years ago. Perhaps I really was cursed, but then again I'd been lacking in the luck department long before I broke that mirror. Standing there staring at another two men, one of which I knew the rain began to gently fall, more set for a dramatic romance scene then a horror movie.
"Hello Camellia" Jasper said grinning at me in what seemed to be a friendly way, though I knew better.
Damn. It is one of those days.
